CHEWY,
CANDY-LIKE PROTEIN BARS
Chewy, satisfying snack and so much cheaper than store-bought protein bars, plus you know the ingredients that go into it. Sometimes I get a craving for protein bars. They are a treat, but at the same time offer easily-assimilated protein without making one feel heavy in the tummy area as one sometimes does when one eats a steak, for instance. Protein bars are great for carrying in one's purse while shopping. I love having a cappuccino in the Mall, but often I feel a craving for something sweet and a protein bar is a very innocent way to stay on track and indulge my sweet tooth at the same time. My peanut butter protein bar was quite popular, so I thought I'd dream up a new bar for fun. Unlike the peanut butter protein bar, this one is chewy, which makes it quite satisfying, although I do like the peanut butter protein bar a lot and have made it again as well.
4 oz spreadable cream cheese (125 g)
Liquid
sweetener to equal 1/2 Cup
(125 mL)
1/4 cup powdered erythritol (60 mL)
3 tbsp unsalted
butter, melted (45 mL)
1 tsp vanilla extract
(5 mL)
2 oz sugar-free
chocolate chips, OR (60 g)
unsweetened
chocolate*, melted
21/4 cups
vanilla whey protein (560 mL)
1/3 cup
sugar-free chocolate chips (75 mL)
In food processor,
process cream cheese. Add liquid
sweetener,
powdered erythritol, butter and vanilla extract; process. Add melted chocolate; process. Add vanilla whey protein and process on
slower speed. Stir in chocolate
chips. Place in two 8 x 4-inch (1.5 L)
loaf pans. Press down with plastic wrap
to spread evenly. Mop surface with paper
towel. Freeze half an hour and cut into
6 bars per loaf pan. Keep refrigerated
until needed. They can be kept at room
temperature, but they will be softer and more moist.
Helpful Hints: *If using
unsweetened chocolate, you will have to increase the amount of sweetener used. An easy way to melt chocolate: place chocolate in bowl and pour boiling water over it. When chocolate tests soft to the tip of a paring knife, pour off the water. It may be necessary to do it twice. Don't worry the chocolate will not seize. Trust me on this one. :)
Yield: 12 bars
1
bar
168.1
calories
13.4
g protein
10.0
g fat
1.4
g net carbs